diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 3d4c474..243d864 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -434,7 +434,7 @@ export default class ActivityPubEndpoint {
           "properties.url": requestUrl,
         });
 
-        if (!post) {
+        if (!post || post.properties?.deleted) {
           return next();
         }
 
diff --git a/lib/federation-setup.js b/lib/federation-setup.js
index 5fb7ab0..920f225 100644
--- a/lib/federation-setup.js
+++ b/lib/federation-setup.js
@@ -609,10 +609,11 @@ function setupOutbox(federation, mountPath, handle, collections) {
 
         const pageSize = 20;
         const skip = cursor ? Number.parseInt(cursor, 10) : 0;
-        const total = await postsCollection.countDocuments();
+        const notDeleted = { "properties.deleted": { $exists: false } };
+        const total = await postsCollection.countDocuments(notDeleted);
 
         const posts = await postsCollection
-          .find()
+          .find(notDeleted)
           .sort({ "properties.published": -1 })
           .skip(skip)
           .limit(pageSize)
@@ -644,7 +645,9 @@ function setupOutbox(federation, mountPath, handle, collections) {
       if (identifier !== handle) return 0;
       const postsCollection = collections.posts;
       if (!postsCollection) return 0;
-      return await postsCollection.countDocuments();
+      return await postsCollection.countDocuments({
+        "properties.deleted": { $exists: false },
+      });
     })
     .setFirstCursor(async () => "0");
 }
@@ -656,6 +659,8 @@ function setupObjectDispatchers(federation, mountPath, handle, collections, publ
     const postUrl = `${publicationUrl.replace(/\/$/, "")}/${id}`;
     const post = await collections.posts.findOne({ "properties.url": postUrl });
     if (!post) return null;
+    // Soft-deleted posts should not be dereferenceable
+    if (post.properties?.deleted) return null;
     const actorUrl = ctx.getActorUri(handle).href;
     const activity = jf2ToAS2Activity(post.properties, actorUrl, publicationUrl);
     // Only Create activities wrap Note/Article objects